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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29861910">The Glorious Tale of The Dreaded and the Unseen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lavender_Creator/pseuds/The_Lavender_Creator'>The_Lavender_Creator</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lore Olympus (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fix-It of Sorts, fake/pretend engagement</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:49:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29861910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lavender_Creator/pseuds/The_Lavender_Creator</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This was originally intended only to be read on my writing amino by 2 people, but I remembered I have an ao3 and thought 'why not?'<br/>This starts immediately after Hermes goes to Hades' place to ask if he knew where Persephone was during her hiding out due to being wanted. Except, well, Zeus and Apollo found out where she was and went to get her. Persephone comes up with a little plan to keep herself out of custody, but now they have to deal with the consequences of that plan.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, and welcome to my LO fic! As of posting this first little bit, I have about 33 chapters written, but I've been posting them biweekly on a personal writing amino. I don't really know when I'll add to this- probably just whenever I remember I've been posting it here- but yeah. </p><p>This starts immediately after Hermes goes to Hades' place to ask if he knew where Persephone was during her hiding out due to being wanted. Except, well, Zeus and Apollo found out where she was and went to get her. Persephone comes up with a little plan to keep herself out of custody, but now they have to deal with the consequences of that plan.</p><p>I hope you enjoy, and happy reading :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zeus doesn't exactly take kindly to trying to be reasoned with. Not when he's hellbent on taking Kore's head, at least. Hades, try as he might and did, couldn't reason with him. And so, he stared into the darkness with his wife and protege in tow.</p><p>Of course, the bringer and king of death both knew of this, and they both devised plans. She suggested they fake an engagement. Zeus can't kill a queen-to-be, plus now she wouldn't have to worry about TGOEM or Zeus marrying her off to someone. His plan was much simpler, only involving a singular pomegranate and the fact he doesn't have jurisdiction over the dead, or things of the dead. They decided on a mix of the two.</p><p>When Zeus busted through the door of Hades' mansion, he found the goddess of spring in a hastily brought black dress, in the middle of gorging herself on pomegranate seeds. In the darkness, the juice flowing from her lips looked starkly like blood.</p><p>Apollo came forward to grab her and he was stopped by Hades emerging by the shadows and grabbing him. "You can't take a queen, can you? Especially my dread Persephone..." He smirks, pushing Apollo away from her.<br/>
"Queen-?" He and Zeus both look terrified, but a smile is blooming on Hera's lips.<br/>
"Yes. *My* queen."<br/>
"No!" Apollo pipes up, "We were together, Persie! This old man kidnapped you, don't you want to come back with us to Olympus? If you're not guilty, I'll make you my star like I promised!"<br/>
Persephone busts into a chilling laugh, somehow hiding her anger and trying to play up the whole queen-of-the-dead thing. "Oh, you ignorant little sun god! Don't you know better than to poke your head into the underground?" She takes a step towards him, crushing a few pomegranate seeds in her hand so the red, sticky juice covers her hands more and gets on his face when she grabs it. "I'm the bringer of death, Apollo. You wouldn't be able to handle a goddess like me- a *queen* like me! And, as for my doting husband... do you seriously think this union wasn't my idea? No, I'm the one who did this. I trapped him with me in his heart, I grabbed his hand until he gave it to me, I worked my way into my throne as the queen! And you'll be damned before I give up my rightful throne!"<br/>
"You heard my queen. Leave." His voice is deadly serious, glaring at Zeus and Apollo.<br/>
"Hera! You have to stop this union- this isn't-"<br/>
"Why?"<br/>
"... Excuse me?"<br/>
The queen of the gods smiles, "Why should I? Hades has been looking for a queen to fill that empty throne and, even if I did have objections, there's nothing I could do about it. She ate pomegranate- she's a being of the underworld. She's under Hades' jurisdiction now, we have absolutely no hold on either of them or any other being of this realm!" She smiles and then walks over to the couple, cupping Persephone's face. "I've been looking for possible suitors for you, and Hades is the only option I've approved of. He will love and cherish you for every single second he has you. I couldn't think of a better god for you, and I'm so, *so* happy for you..."<br/>
She looks up at her and smiles widely. "Thank you..."<br/>
"Invite me to the wedding, okay? And invite me to brunch every now and then-"<br/>
"We will," Hades says, a soft blush on his face as he tries to fight a smile because their little scheme actually managed to placate Zeus' wrath for now. He puts a hand on her shoulder, "Go deal with the idiots for us, okay? And have Zeus explain the situation to Demeter."<br/>
She smiles since she doesn't have to break the news to Demeter herself, "Okay. I'll call you later, okay?" He nods and she pulls away, leaving and pulling the purple bastards away with her as they protest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Postgame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>And so Hera left, pulling them away as well behind her. The couple sigh with relief and Hades goes to close and lock the door while Persephone runs to get a towel to clean up all the pomegranate juice.<br/>
He walks over to the room she's in as she's cleaning her face, "You did spectacularly..."<br/>
"Thank you!" She smiles, "I already have the whole 'Queen of the Dead' thing mastered!"<br/>
He chuckles, "You sure do... Do you think Hera meant what she said?"<br/>
She hesitates for a bit and then turns to him, "Mhm... She really hasn't been happy with me being in TGOEM."<br/>
"Neither was I-"<br/>
"Me neither-" they both laugh.<br/>
"I think the only people happy about that were your mother and Hestia." He nods and there's a beat of silence, somewhere between discomfort and calm.<br/>
"Are... Are you happy with how this has turned out?"<br/>
"Hmmm..." She looks at herself in the mirror. The juice had gotten all in her hair, as well as vines and black petals. "I... I don't think I can answer that just yet."<br/>
"Okay. You don't owe me an answer, and you can take your time with it. Do you want me to leave you alone for a bit?"<br/>
"I don't think so."<br/>
"Okay. Do you want to talk about it?" He walks over, going and sitting on the counter next to where she's working on herself. She turns around so she's leaning against it and he grabs some scissors and a bit of her hair, "Mind if I take care of these vines?"<br/>
"Go ahead..." She sighs and he starts working on it. "I just... I hope my mama- er, mother- doesn't freak out about this all. You know how she can get, and she'll be crushed that I'm not in TGOEM anymore..."<br/>
"I reckon it doesn't help that she's not my biggest fan-"<br/>
"Not at all! What if she tries to take me back?"<br/>
"... Do you want to go back?"</p><p>She doesn't reply, looking stuck and then down to the floor. They settle back into the quiet, the only noise echoing around being from him snipping at the vines. "Look, Kore. You have plenty of time to think about this, I'll make sure nothing forces your hand until you've come to a decision. Your job right now is to find out what you want from all of this, and then I'll fully support you getting whatever it is you end up wanting." He pulls away, all of the vines on the ground. He puts the scissors back and then exits the room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Call</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hades had just gotten to his bedroom when his sister-in-law called, as promised. "Heyyy, bunny-"<br/>
"Hey, can I come back over?" Her voice is very excited, wanting to start on wedding plans and to talk about the relationship she's been wanting to happen for a while.<br/>
"Um... Not again today, I think."<br/>
"Oh?"<br/>
"Uh, it's a long story."<br/>
"I've got time."<br/>
----<br/>
"So... yeah." He's sitting on his bed, having just explained their entire rouse and what happened after they left. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but-"<br/>
"Thank you."<br/>
"... What?"<br/>
"You kept her away from Apollo and TGOEM. I'm disappointed you aren't actually engaged, but still."<br/>
"Um... Thank you-?" He's curious about why she specifically said Apollo and not him and Zeus, but he figures he'll learn later.<br/>
"You're welcome."<br/>
There's a few beats of uncomfortable silence before, "Did you mean what you said earlier? About approving me as a suitor?"<br/>
"Yes. Yes, I did." There are some rustling sounds, "I'm sure you know that I have a binder where I keep track of all the eligible bachelorettes in Olympus?"<br/>
"Yes, and I'm aware of Hecate's reaction when you tried to set her up with a suitor-"<br/>
"Well, whatever. How was I supposed to know she isn't into anyone? Anyways, I have a page for Persephone, and I'm sending you a picture of it right now." Sure enough, his text tone goes off. "Have fun with that!" And the line dies, right as he opens his chat with her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. (Still Pending)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Persephone looks down at her sticky hands, still red with pomegranate juice and shivers, rubbing at them with the towel. She wants it off, she doesn't want to remember this. The last time her hands were sticky and red.<br/>
But pomegranate juice stains. It stains her hands red, her cheeks red, her lips and hair.</p><p>It's still there, haunting with memories.<br/>
----</p>
<h4>TGOEM? (still pending)</h4><h3>Possible Suitors</h3><h4>Hephaestus</h4><h4>Hermes</h4><h4>Ares</h4><h4>Apollo</h4><h4>Hades: permission to court!</h4><p>He looks down at the picture Hera texted him, his mouth agape. He flops backward onto the black velvet covers of his bed and runs a hand through his white hair, butterflies and moths fluttering in his stomach.<br/><em>Hades: permission to court!</em><br/>The words seem to swirl in front of his eyes and then behind them, infiltrating every square inch of his mind. <em>'She thinks I should be with Kore... Well, It's not like I don't want to be, but...'</em> He sits back up with a sigh. <em>What if she doesn't want to be with me? We haven't even agreed to go on a date. There's no way I can even think about marriage.</em></p><p>But does that actually manage to make him stop thinking about marriage? No, not at all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Defenestrate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Persephone goes back to the bedroom Hades gave her in the mansion, resolving to just avoid looking at her hands at all costs, and finds Eros on her bed. "Perse, how <strong>DARE</strong> you not tell me you're engaged to <strong>HADES</strong>-"<br/>"Eros-!" She squeaks, jumping back a little as he saunters over to her, having really not expected him.<br/>"I can't believe neither of you consulted me about this!!! I'm the <strong>KING</strong> of proposals!"<br/>"Eros-"<br/>He grabs his shirt dramatically, "What, want to dig that knife into my back harder?"<br/>"Eros!"<br/>"What!? I'm kidding, I'm kidding- but you better tell me <strong>EVERYTHING</strong>. Like, <strong>YESTERDAY-"</strong><br/>"We aren't engaged-"<br/><em>"Excuse me???"</em> How he looks more betrayed now than before is beyond her, but he is.<br/>"Look, um... Zeus came and he was going to take me to punish me for my 'wrath' and then I had the idea to just pretend we're betrothed and then they can't take me and I'd be free from TGOEM-"<br/>"Ohhhh-"<br/>"I'm not engaged to him... sorry."<br/>"You mean you aren't engaged to him <em>yet-"</em> <br/>She blushes and looks down at the ground. "Eros-!"<br/>"What! Come on, Persephone," he cups her face and gets her to look at him, "We both know how much you like him..."<br/>"... Do you think he likes me back?" She looks up at him with just the sweetest eyes, capable of melting even the coldest hearts.<br/>He pets her hair gently and leans in. "I think he's falling in love with you, slowly but surely." He leans back with a bit of a giggle, "I have to go. Hecate is coming and, well, she doesn't really like me-"<br/>"Wh-"<br/>"Toodles!" And he defenestrated himself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Defenestrate: to throw (someone) out of a window.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. On Its Way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for all of the lovely comments!! You have no idea how much it means to me :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Persephone~!" Hecate waltzes in before she can fully recover from Eros.<br/>
"H-Hey, um-"<br/>
"I heard about everything that happened!"<br/>
"We aren't en-"<br/>
"I know, I know. I came to compliment you on that beauty of a scheme you came up with!"<br/>
To say she's taken aback is putting it very lightly. "E-Excuse me?"<br/>
"I haven't seen a scheme as wonderful as that one since that Trojan Horse the humans came up with! You had me and Hermes reveling in it."<br/>
She thinks for a bit before it clicks, "I always forget your ties to chaos-"<br/>
She chuckles a bit. "You seem awfully tired, so I'll tell you what. I'll let you relax for a few days, and then I need to take you to get some warm clothes tailored."<br/>
"I really don't think that's necessary, but thank you. I know the underworld is cold, but I've got a lot of stuff with long sleeves!"<br/>
"Oh, Persephone, that's not what I meant."<br/>
"... What <em>did</em> you mean, then?"<br/>
She smirks, a snake-like look taking over her face. She feeds on chaos, and she's about to be full, after all. "Well, you see, darling... <strong>Winter is coming."</strong></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The First Winter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zeus is really regretting choosing Persephone as the one he would be making an example out of, currently waiting in the drawing-room of the mansion. They've got all of the nymphs in Olympus and the mortal realm looking for the goddess of grain so that he can go through his punishment for this.</p><p>A week passes by before they finally capture the goddess and bring her to the king. She's very, very unhappy and she immediately starts to yell at Zeus about him having the gall to arrest her and <em>where in Tartarus is her daughter.</em><br/>
And then he explains, and she is enraged- so much so that she decides to punish him to the best of her ability.</p><p>And thus, she invents winter.<br/>
----<br/>
<em>Why is it so, so cold? It's supposed to be Spring. I know it's freezing in the underworld normally, but Hades said it wouldn't be this cold...</em> Persephone stirs in her bed and gets up, walking around. It's been about two weeks since they did what she likes to call their <em>'performance'</em>. Hades has been the sweetest and has been sticking true to what he said about not forcing her hand in any decision-making. She hasn't updated him on anything she wants to do, but she's planning on telling him soon. She gets out to what she likes to call the window room, seeing that there's something falling from the air, but it isn't snow. She just doesn't know what hail is yet. What she does know, however, is that it's far too cold for it to be normal this time of year and that what's hitting against the windows is too big and too loud to be good.<br/>
She runs off to Hades' room, knocking on his door. It takes a while for him to open the door, wearing nothing but his underwear and a black silk robe. "Kore-? What's wrong?" She looks terrified due to the sound of hail hitting against the glass and the sheer cold. She explains the situation to him and he goes with her over to the closest window, seeing the hail storm outside. "That's hail. It's like snow, but it's a ball of solid ice. It happens when it's exceptionally cold and it can be a bit dangerous, so you should try to stay away from the glass."<br/>
She shrinks back from it, "Any idea why it's so cold? I have no idea how you aren't freezing..."<br/>
He pulls his robe around him a little more, "I told you, I'm used to the cold. I don't know why it is this cold, but it's too late for us to look into it right now." He yawns a bit and it spreads right to her. "Let's go back to bed, okay?"<br/>
"Okay..."<br/>
"Is something wrong?"<br/>
She mumbles something about it being a little scary, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering.<br/>
"Is there anything I can do to help you get to sleep?'<br/>
She nods a little, "Could you join me, maybe? I just- there's a window in your room and you said to stay away from glass, and the last time you were in bed with me I felt better..."<br/>
He smiles, "Of course." So they go over to her room and he slides into her bed with her.</p><p>They chat softly until they both drift off...<br/>
----<br/>
Meanwhile, the mortal realm is having its first snowfall. The humans who worship them were not made for such cold climates, they were made for the warmth of spring and summer. Demeter's wrath encases them in cold, choking the life out of the crops she brought to them as she denies breeding to the animals they used to hunt for prey. Their prey relies on the plants as much as they do and it's all gone, becoming smaller and smaller with no way to reproduce.</p><p>The Earth is shutting down into an ice age of gargantuan proportions, and there seems to be no end in sight as the goddess of grain weeps in her home, and the goddess of spring sleeps in the embrace of death's king.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, I've been posting these chapters twice a week on my little amino, and I decided I'm going to be posting these on the days that correlates to those chapters. Except, that version is more of a draft with this being a finished product with several of those chapters edited into one and stuff like that. So, if you don't get a new chapter for awhile, that's why and I'll probably explain that it was a multiple-chapter situation in the notes.<br/>Thank you for reading! :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Greek</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title was a request from my lovely Starry (@blue-blooms on Tumblr). Coming up with something to go with this title was quite the challenge and it was really fun. Thank you!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they wake up the next morning, the hailstorm is continuing to rage outside, and there's a massive pit in Perse's stomach. "I just... have an awful feeling. Something isn't right, and I think it's about the mortal realm."<br/>
"Do you want to head down there and check it out?"<br/>
"Can we, please?"<br/>
-----<br/>
They get their traditional Greek attire on and head on down there. Persephone finds a horse and rides it with him leading her along, and the sight is <em>terrifying</em>. Their beautiful Sicily, frozen and dead. She nearly falls off the horse in her rush to run to the flower fields, Hades chasing right after her and the horse following along too. He hears her screams before he gets to the fields, only picking up more speed afterward in desperation.</p><p>He finds her on the icy ground, sobbing and holding the wilted, frosted remains of the flowers that grew there. Hades slides onto the ground next to her, confused before he remembers what she told him sparked her act of wrath...</p><p>And he holds her. He holds her as the violent reaction racks through her, convulsing and sobbing in uncontrollable grief. He holds her as vines and leaves encase her shoulders down to her arms. He holds her as branches sprout through her back.<br/>
He holds her as the snow gently melts in the radius around them.</p><p>He holds her as very, very small sprouts blossom from the ground, watered by her tears and heated by her broken heart.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is 2 chapters edited into one since the first one was rather small and the second was a compilation of tiny segments. Also, I made art for this, but I've been trying for awhile and ao3 REALLY doesn't want to let me put it in the fic. So, I posted it to pintrest. Here you go: https://pin.it/NEHDmin</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hades continues to hold her as the radius extends farther from them, being the only one to notice. He rubs her back as sprouts come into being and life begins to return to the fields. She releases the grip of winter, slowly but surely, off of the entirety of Sicily and then some.</p><p>And then she stops and falls limp in his arms and his gaze returns to her, seeing her just how she was when he pulled her out of that car. Near dormancy after such an exceptional use of power. He carries her back to the horse and rides on it, holding her close and tight as he takes her back into the underworld so he may care for her.</p><p>In his haste to take her somewhere he can effectively care for her, they leave too quickly for them to witness the blooming. The wildly sprouting flowers blooming into toddler flower nymphs, who begin to toddle about and continue to spread springtime as new grass forms under their footsteps and trees grow new leaves every time one of them giggles.<br/>
Life returns, all thanks to the bringer of death.<br/>
-----<br/>
"That's not how I wanted our first visit to Sicily to go..." The words are clouded and far away, heard through water and exhaustion. She pries open her eyes and gasps again, once again in the arms of Hades with Hecate at his side, making sure she breathes right.</p><p>Hecate, once again, took over the majority of her care. Hecate gets her stable again and interrogates him about what happened this time, but quickly cuts herself off and points out the window. The hailstorm is replaced with pink petals, dancing on the frostbitten air. She leaves to go investigate it, quickly clicking together that this is the reason for her powers being overused. "Of course she's the one who can bring life like that into the underworld..." She's staring at the tree sprouting from the ruins of Tower Four, the petals cascading down from it as it starts to bear fruit.<br/>
-----<br/>
Hades walks to her room with tea in hand, sighing to himself before opening the door. "Kore?" She groans from her bed and he goes over to her, handing her the mug. "Take it easy, okay? You overran your powers again..."<br/>
"I'm sorry..."<br/>
"Don't be. Do you know what you did?" She shakes her head and he leans in with a little knowing smile, "You brought back spring."<br/>
"What-?"<br/>
"Mhm. I realized it when I was carrying you back after you fainted. You melted the snow and made little sprouts."<br/>
"I did?"<br/>
He nods, "It was very, very impressive."<br/>
"Thank you."<br/>
He nods and then stands up, "Drink your tea and get to sleep, please. Like before, you need your rest."<br/>
-----<br/>
She wakes up to find it's warmer than usual. She's about to get up when Hades walks in, chatting with Hecate. "Oh, you're up." He smiles, "I was just coming to put some breakfast on your bedside table for when you woke up."<br/>
"How are you feeling?" Hecate sits on the bed next to her.<br/>
"Okay, I'm okay..." She takes the plate from Hades and starts eating.<br/>
"Have you heard about the nymphs?" She makes a sad, choked noise and Hades puts a hand on her shoulder.<br/>
"I haven't told her, yet."<br/>
"I... I already know," she swallows and looks down at her plate, about to cry. "Th-They're dead from the frost-"<br/>
Hecate leans over to her and Hades gets down on her level. "No, they aren't."<br/>
"What?"<br/>
Hades takes her hand in both of his, "They're alive. You brought them back from the dead... They're all toddlers again, but still. You saved all of them..." She just about starts crying again, wrapping her arms around Hades. He holds her for a while, comforting her from what remains of her grief. "Everything is okay."<br/>
He looks over at Hecate and she starts to leave them alone.</p><p>"I promise."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Fair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minthe heard the news.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Minthe is on the floor of her apartment, stuffing her face with Barley Mother cereal and sobbing because Hades is engaged to someone who actually can take being the queen. Someone who he actually could fall in love with. Someone who could actually love him back in a way he wants...<br/>
"IT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR!" She screeches and throws the box against the wall.</p><p>She knows he hasn't been hers for weeks. She knows she never wanted to be queen. She knows she never wanted most of what she thinks Persephone has.<br/>
Except for, well, Hades.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. A Huntress In The Lion's Den</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is another chapter that was multiple of the original chapters put into one big chapter lol.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Demeter is mourning her daughter in the Olympian apartment she’s been staying in when she looks out the window and sees it. The frosted wasteland that she created in her precious mortal realm, slowly melting as blue and pink figures ride off in the distance on a pitch-black horse.<br/>
It doesn't take an idiot to realize who they are. Who but a young fertility goddess could do such a thing to the earth?<br/>
And then the barren ground starts to bloom flowers and little pink nymphs toddle around, green grass growing underfoot.</p><p>The goddess of grain goes back down to earth, only to find her precious daughter already returned to the upside-down. The little nymphs toddle to her, just like they did when they were actually this age, and she recognizes each and every one of them. Remembers creating them, raising them.<br/>
Killing them.<br/>
She weeps for the pain she brought her dear nymphs. The pain she brought her dear realm. The pain she brought her dear, sweet Kore.</p><p>"I need to go see her."<br/>
-----<br/>
And so the lady of nature searched the mortal realm, looking for a back opening. The way back to her daughter. She finds it rather easily, thanks to help from Gia, and she flies into the underground in the form of a bird.<br/>
She flies to the penthouse apartment of Hecate since she actually knows the address, perching on the corner of the frame her canvas is on. "Hello, Hecate."<br/>
Hecate flinches and looks away from her embroidery, "Demeter! Where have you been? Are you okay?"<br/>
She jumps back to the ground, transforming back in the process. "Have you seen my Kore?"<br/>
"... Uh, yeah..." More than anything, she’s quite bewildered.<br/>
"Is she safe?"<br/>
"Mmmm, yup!"<br/>
"Where is she??? I know that she's with Hades- Where are they???"<br/>
"Hades' mansion-"<br/>
"Where is that!?" She's obviously desperate. Hecate knows this might not be a good idea, but, well...<br/>
What better could satisfy her inherent need for chaos?<br/>
----<br/>
She finds the mansion that the King calls home. A patrol around the interior with peaks into the windows shows the couple is home, and it doesn't seem like there's anyone else there. She lands on the front steps and walks right up to the door, ringing the doorbell.</p><p>Hades hears the doorbell as he's making dinner and goes to answer it, his eyes widening as he sees who it is. "Hello, Demeter. What do you need?"<br/>
"My daughter."<br/>
'"O-Oh, yeah, um... I don't know if she wants to see you."<br/>
"Excuse you?" Her gaze could kill a mortal man.<br/>
"You can come in and I can go get her, but I can't promise she'll want to speak or see you." This angers her, but she doesn't say anything about it. She walks in.<br/>
He offers her tea and she refuses it, "Take me to my daughter. You haven't been sharing a room with her, have you?"<br/>
He starts to take her to Persephone’s bedroom, "What? No, of course not. I gave her a guest room. I wanted her to have her own place to go to when she needed any alone time or she just didn't want to be around me. Plus, we don't exactly have the same taste in decor and I wanted her to have somewhere she can mold to her tastes."<br/>
She contemplates this in silence as they come to a halt in front of a door, painted a bright pink against the dark blue walls. He knocks, getting a soft "Yes?" in response.<br/>
"Your mother is here and asking to see you."<br/>
"Mama-?" She sounds excited but then clears her voice, "I-um... both of you go to the living room and give me a moment, okay?"<br/>
"Okay, whenever you're ready." Hades starts walking off but then grabs Demeter's hand when she tries to reach for the doorknob. "Whenever she's ready."<br/>
----<br/>
Demeter sits on the couch, grumpy and pouting because she hasn’t seen her little girl yet. A few of Hades' dogs are jumping all over her, meanwhile, Cerberus is begging Hades for bits of food as he finishes making breakfast for the three of them, and then makes Persephone's favorite tea.<br/>
He returns to the living room and shoos his pups off and apologizes to them, setting his coffee table so they can all eat when Perse gets there.<br/>
"So," Demeter starts, "do you still smoke?"<br/>
He shakes his head, "I've been attempting to quit."<br/>
"What about drinking?"<br/>
"Only scotch. I asked Persephone if she was comfortable with it, and she said yes as long as I don't make her drink with me, which I never intended to. Perse hasn't had any drinks- only soda and tea like she asks for." He sighs, knowing how protective Demeter is from everything Persephone has told him, but she doesn’t have to pry into his life like this because of this.<br/>
She nods but is still skeptical of him. "What about her studies?"<br/>
"Well, she hasn't been able to properly attend her classes, but I have a tutor hired to collect work from her professors and obtain any books she needs, as well as turn in her work and administer tests and quizzes. I don't watch over her grades any since if she wants me to see a grade then she'll show me herself, and she has. She got a perfect grade on her midterm and she hung it on my fridge." She nods, thinking over this as silence settles in.</p><p>"Have you had sex with her?"<br/>
He almost chokes and his head snaps towards her, <em>"Excuse me?"</em><br/>
"You pulled her out of TGOEM."<br/>
He takes a deep breath, "First of all, she's a grown woman who has a right to privacy. Second of all, I don't believe it's appropriate to ask such a thing-"<br/>
"So you <em>have</em>?" Her voice is steeped in anger.<br/>
"No! No, I haven't! But you have no right to ask such a private question like that!"<br/>
"Hades-"<br/>
"What!?"<br/>
"She's a <em>fertility goddess."</em><br/>
He halts for a moment and then gets an angry look, "You <em>lied</em> and told her that she wasn't one?"<br/>
She looks genuinely surprised, "You knew-!?"<br/>
"She's been in the Underworld! Do you know how dangerous the Underworld can be for a fertility goddess??"<br/>
"So they <em>are</em> real-"<br/>
"Demeter, look out that window." He's pointing at one, covered by blinds. She hesitantly stands and then walks over to it, drawing up the blinds and gasping at the sight of tower four. "She wandered into tower four. Into <em>Tartarus.</em> And she created <em>that."</em> She looks back at him. "It would take an idiot to not see that she's a fertility goddess, and then you add in her bringing Spring back to the mortal realm..."<br/>
"...Oh..."<br/>
----<br/>
Persephone finally walks out of her room, her flowing pink hair trailing behind her on the ground. She finds Hades and Demeter sitting together in silence, sipping their tea and not looking together. "Hey..." They both look up and break into smiles, Demeter jumping up and going right to her daughter.<br/>
She starts to berate her with questions, and Hades has to interrupt her to get her to stop. He invites Kore to sit across from them, and she thanks him for her favorite tea and breakfast.<br/>
They start to eat, Demeter and Perse chatting and catching up with Hades acting as the third wheel.</p><p>He doesn’t eavesdrop, for the most part. That is, until- "Kore, sweetheart, I want you to join me back in the mortal realm."<br/>
<em>"What?"</em><br/>
"You don't need to marry Hades- you can return home! Or to Artemis in Olympus! I just..." She reaches over and takes her daughter's hand, "I don't want you to waste your life here. You-You have <em>gifts.</em> Gifts you don’t even know the full extent of yet. Gifts that don't deserve to fall into the hands of a greedy god like him-"<br/>
“Hey-”<br/>
"Greedy?"<br/>
"He runs the banks and he is, first and foremost, the god of wealth. He runs a kingdom based on the labor of countless mortals, Kore!"<br/>
<em>"Persephone."</em> Demeter blinks and looks at her. "My name is Persephone, mama."<br/>
"Kor… <em>Persephone.</em> You're very powerful. You have a life. You have your life in the mortal realm with all your nymph friends-"<br/>
"Mama, you <em>killed</em> them-" She sniffles, pulling her hand away and messing with her growing hair. "You know how messed up I've been about what I did to the village, and then you turn around and do <em>that</em>-"<br/>
A shock of fear goes through from her mentioning <em>that</em> in front of Hades. "Kor-"<br/>
"Mama, I'm not going back there. I don't <em>want</em> to go back there." She stands up and wipes her eyes, "Tell Artemis that I want her and Hades to bring my stuff here. I'm moving in with him, and I'm <em>not</em> going back."<br/>
"Persephone..." This time it's Hades, much softer in comparison to her mother’s words, tempered by her growing anger and fear.<br/>
"Hades, please-" she sniffles again and it has the tint of a whine that comes from crying.<br/>
"Okay, okay-" He stands up and goes to her, immediately getting hugged by her and he just wraps his arms around her, stroking her hair. "Whatever you wish, Kore."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Drawers, Cars, Retreating and Moving</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This time, it's three chapters rolled into one! I really hope you enjoy lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Demeter returns to the mortal realm, resolving to just try and suck herself into her work to ignore the fact her daughter is refusing to leave that <em>awful god</em>. Her company went through a long time of her being away, and then an ice age on top of that, and she needs to take care of it.<br/>
----<br/>
Hades holds Kore in a hug as she gradually calms down. They finish eating together and he suggests they go and start moving her that day instead to cheer her up. They start to get ready to go and he helps Perse with her hair and then sweeps up all the petals, putting them in a drawer that she doesn't know about since it's in his office. His eyes linger on the letter he wrote for her so long ago, but then she walks in to ask if he's ready to go and he shuts the drawer quickly. "Yes, I'm on my way."</p><p>He drives her over to Artemis' house and he drops her off so that she can explain to her about the move, and then he leaves to go get a moving trailer.<br/>
Right in time for a golden car to drive up from the opposite way<br/>
----<br/>
Artemis and Perse are sitting and quietly catching up together over tea when he walks in, and Perse visibly tenses. Arty completely ignores it, inviting him to sit with them. Apollo is mostly busy chatting with his sister, while also slowly scooting closer and closer to Persephone. Arty walks off to the bathroom and he looks at her, his eyes shining bright gold.<br/>
"Not much of a fierce queen of the dead are you now that your king isn't here, hm?" He leans in, ignoring the vines sprouting from her hair. "You want me back, don't you? You aren't in TGOEM, you can drop the whole <em>'sacred virgin'</em> thing-"</p><p> </p><p>She pushes him off of her and jumps up, moving away from him. He jumps up to go follow her, annoyed, but then she drops to the ground and hits her hands against the ground.<br/>
----<br/>
Hades erupts from the ground in front of them, taking into account how she was disappointed he didn't put on too much of a show the last time she summoned him. This time, he erupts out of the ground in a plume of blue flame, "Yes, Persephone?" He looks around and sees Apollo, knowing how scared and unhappy she seems whenever he's around.<br/>
"J-Just be here with me, please." She clears her throat and takes a breath, trying to calm down.<br/>
He nods, "Let's go up to your room and start getting your stuff together, I'll have others take care of what I was doing." He offers her his arm and she happily takes it, leading him upstairs and over to her very pink room.<br/>
----<br/>
He has the Erinyes take the moving trailer and boxes over and then has them help with packing up and moving everything. As for why they agreed to a job way under their pay grade, well, he let them do whatever they want to Apollo as they do. What being wouldn't take the opportunity to pick on a god like him without any repercussions?<br/>
They take everything back to Hades' home and to her room, and he asks her if she'd like her room painted the same pink as her old bedroom and would like furniture that better matches her style.<br/>
They proceed to go shopping, getting all the pink and white furniture that her heart desires. The next day he offers to hire actual movers to switch her furniture and unpacking, but Perse turns him down because <em>I can do it myself, thank you.</em><br/>
He helps her anyways, asking her some little questions about her knick-knacks and helping her make her room truly hers.<br/>
----<br/>
In the end, they both flop onto her bed. He looks over at her, smiling, "Happy with your room?"<br/>
She nods, "Thank you for this."<br/>
"My pleasure. Oh- I just remembered!" He sits back up, "I have something I've been meaning to give to you. I'll be right back!" He returns a little later, his hands behind his back. He has her close her eyes and that whole charade, and then finally hands her the gift and allows her to open her eyes.<br/>
A gorgeous crystal vase with a sparkly pink ribbon tied in a bow around the neck. She looks at him, confused, "I figured you'd like so grow some plants in your room, so I made you that. If you'd like, we could go and get you some pots and seeds and such so you can grow things the human way." He smiles sweetly at her and she melts a little with a smile, placing the vase on the top of her dresser and going to him.</p><p>She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Retail Therapy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Heavily based on the episode with this same title!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He wraps his arms back around her and leans into her pulling him close. <em>"Persephon..."</em> He trails off as she covers his mouth in her kisses. She has him under her on her bed, both of them softly buzzed on honey-sweet kisses when her back and hair start to glow pure white and butterflies start to dissolve into existence from her.<br/>
She continues to kiss at him as he whines for her, feeling hopeless as she starts to fade out of his arms. "Kore, please...wa-wait- <em>waitwaitwait-</em>don't leave, <em>please-"</em><br/>
She drifts up and off of him, "Please- please don't leave! When you leave-" He grabs her, pulling her hard to his chest and feeling her solidify in his arms, "-it's the loneliest feeling in the world..." He smiles as she continues to kiss at his face, her face bright and warm with a blush. "I-I think we sh-should probably st-stop..."<br/>
She places a hand on his chest, directly over his heart, and her other hand on his cheek. "Don't you want me anymore?" She returns to kissing him, at his neck so his face is at her shoulder.<br/>
He strokes her hair, pulling it away from that shoulder,<em> "Not want you?" </em>He laughs at the concept, blushing harder than ever before, "I can't imagine not wanting you, dear dread Persephone. It simply isn't possible."<br/>
"Hm..," She hums and looks away, leading to him cupping her face and turning her so she'll look up at him again.<br/>
"I just... I don't want to overstep any boundaries. We haven't set any boundaries since our situation changed, and I want to make sure you're going to be okay with anything we do or don’t do. I... It's far beyond time for me to set some boundaries of my own, and I'm sorry that you had to be the one setting them before. This is one of my boundaries."<br/>
She thinks for a bit, and then nods and slides off of him, sitting on her bed next to him. "What do we do now?"<br/>
"Well, what would you like to do?"</p><p>And so, the not-quite-a-couple go and get gardening supplies and set up a little garden in her bedroom. The goddess plants her little seeds the human way and teaches him about each one of the plants she chose to grow, him listening to his not-betrothed with a brilliant smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Apologetically, Persephone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Artemis walks back into her living room from the bathroom, expecting to find her ex-roommate and her brother. She finds it completely empty, Persephone gone and Apollo retreating shortly after. She goes upstairs to Persephone's room and finds it mostly empty, except for her furniture and something on her desk.</p><p>
  <em>'Dear Artemis,<br/>
Thank you so much for taking me in and giving me the opportunity to move out of the mortal realm and into Olympus. I really, truly owe you and I'm so, so grateful. I'm moving out because my mother is trying to get me to join her back in the mortal realm, and the only way I can avoid that is by playing into the betrothal thing.<br/>
And, no, I'm not actually betrothed to him. I made it up. We needed a way to keep Zeus from making an example of me, and I decided that the best way to do that would be making it so he can't touch me, and what better way is there for that than becoming nobility in a realm he has no power over?<br/>
I'm so, so sorry for all the hassle I've put you through. I'm sorry for what your brother did and that it means I can't handle being around him, especially alone with him. I'm sorry Hestia is probably going to yell at you for losing the newest TGOEM member. I'm sorry my mother is probably going to yell at you for losing me.<br/>
But, I'm happy to be moving in with Hades. You and Eros know fully well how I feel about him, and I think he might feel similarly.<br/>
Apologetically, Persephone'</em>
</p><p>To say she’s confused about this whole situation would be a massive understatement.  Why would they both leave without saying goodbye, and how did they manage to get all of Persephone’s stuff so quickly? But then she opens one of her drawers and finds it still full, so they only took pictures and knick-knacks and things. This doesn’t lessen her confusion, though, but what can she do?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Mold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title was a request from my lovely Starry (@blue-blooms on Tumblr &amp; AO3). Coming up with something to go with this title was quite the challenge and it was really fun. Thank you! I know this is a rather short chapter, but if I combined it with the next one then it would take that one's title and that just doesn't feel right considering I wrote this specifically for that title.</p><p>Also, just so you know, as of writing this I haven't read past Episode 148. I don't intend to for a while since I'm quite busy with this fic and my HP one.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Minthe slowly sulks through the dark, cold hallway. She hasn't been this uncomfortable in eons, wearing nothing but black lace and bare skin. Her stomach growls as she finds his kitchen and she desperately searches for something. <em>Anything-</em> anything at all.<br/>
She finds a singular slice of bread, most of it covered in mold. She doesn't bother touching it, wrapping her arms around her stomach and going back into the hallway.</p><p>Minutes turn to hours, to days, to weeks, to years, to a millennium. She's crawling on the cold hardwood floor, searching for anything that's left of this place that used to be a second home to her. He used to hold her when she slept over, he used to keep her warm. He kept her satisfied, fulfilled.<br/>
And all that's left of them is this empty shell, coated in mildew and mold.</p><p>She wakes up crying, again, and just curls up around herself. They're done. They're rotted.<br/>
And what's a nymph to do but cry?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Acts of Service</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A little more fluff because the next chapter is very not fluffy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hades takes Persephone to go pick out paint colors, and then they clear the furniture and plant sprouts back out of her room to prep for painting. They both put on his old baggy clothes and set down some stuff to protect the hardwood, and they get to painting!</p><p>By the time they're done, they're both covered in Fairytale Pink, a shade light enough to show clearly on Perse's forehead and nose, and they're smiling widely. They pile on top of each other on the couch and fall right into a nap, his arm wrapped around her loosely and a smile still plastered on their faces.<br/>
----<br/>
He wakes up first and makes sure the paint is dry, and then starts on fixing up her room again as she continues to nap. Putting her bed back together and making it up, this time with the sheets and things that she had at Arty's. Making sure to put her little gardening corner back together exactly how she had it. He also makes sure her furniture is exactly how she had it put earlier, also trying to be quiet to make sure she isn't woken up or anything.<br/>
When she does eventually wake up, she goes to find him, resulting in her being speechless as she walks into her perfect room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Tipoff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw: Apollo being... Apollo.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Apollo’s grip on his steering wheel is far too tight as he speeds down the road in that damn golden car. <em>That little bitch thinks she can just call that disgusting being whenever I'm around and it'll stop me from making her realize she's mine, huh? No, I can't let her think that. She's mine, she's my little star. That filthy chthonic god is going to put her to waste, and her fucking mom wants to make sure that she is gonna go to waste.<br/>
Not on my fucking watch. She's going to be mine. She's gonna be my fucking queen.<br/>
<em>Whether they want that or not.</em><br/>
----<br/>
</em>He calms down and then decides to text Daphne since she might be able to cheer him up. He texts her but gets nothing. <em>What the fuck is it with fucking flower girls not answering my damn advances!? </em>He throws his phone at his passenger seat and proceeds to throw a tantrum, complete with hitting his steering wheel and yelling<em> ‘FUCK!’</em></p><p>He gets home after cooling down and finds Hermes, still on house arrest due to hiding where Perse was when they were looking for her. He’s supposed to be let back out soon, but they haven’t gotten to that yet. He’s watching the news and calls Apollo over to see it.</p><p><br/>
<strong>Breaking News: All Flower Nymphs Revived After Frost Kills All Flowers in the Mortal Realm!</strong>
</p><p><br/>
He had absolutely no clue about any of this, surprising exactly no one. Well, aside from Hermes, who starts asking him how he is since he knows he was pursuing Daphne. Apollo’s pissed-ness shows through as he goes on a rant, refraining from calling Perse and Daphne names, but Hermes isn’t an idiot.<br/>
He can tell Apollo is trying not to cuss about them both. Trying not to name-call them. But, despite this trying, it’s rather telling that he needs to try to stop himself from staying this stuff, and even more telling that he’s like this because Daphne was killed, and Perse seems to have been whisked down to the underworld to be an unwilling bride.<br/>
Needless to say, he can tell something isn’t right here.</p><p>----<br/>
Hades is getting dressed when Poseidon calls him, inviting to family brunch. As per usual, he starts to try and weasel his way out of it but he's roped into doing it. This time, however, it's by Poseidon telling him that Zeus explicitly told him to make sure Hades doesn’t come. Just the right amount of pissing Zeus off to make him willing to go...<br/>
So, Hades leaves a little note on Persephone's bedside table and leaves. She's smiling in her sleep and her bed is covered with petals, so it's safe to say she's likely having a good dream!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Eurythmics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let's see if anyone can get what the title is referencing lol. Also, there's a bit of a fade-to-black in this one.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She's tending to her flowers in the greenhouse her mother gave her, humming softly. She knows he's walking up behind her, but she still shivers when he wraps those scarred arms around her, kissing the back of her neck. “Dread Kore! Working hard?”<br/>
“Mhm!” She smiles and leans back into him, looking up at that perfect face of his and gushing about the roses she’s currently tending to. After a while, he kisses her nose as he listens and she gets a mischievous look as she kisses his lips.<br/>
And they kiss, and they kiss, and they kiss.</p><p>She's on top of him yet again, pulling at the dark cloth wrapped around him as the details fuzz. It goes on, and on, and on. And then they both dissolve together in a flurry of pure white butterflies and dark gray moths.</p><p>Her dream dissolves to a close, waking her to soft disorientation and confusion.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Brotherly Brunch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zeus and Posiden being inappropriate; Hades being a simp.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant. It's another damn strip club, and he really shouldn't be surprised anymore. He goes in and finds the table his disgusting brothers are at, and Zeus immediately scowls. "What are you doing here!? Shouldn't you be at home with your <em>fiance?"</em><br/>
Poseidon scoots over and Hades sits next to him in the booth, "Well, she's asleep right now and I didn't want to miss quality time with my brothers." Zeus rolls his eyes but shuts up about it.</p><p>It's basically a repeat of the brunch they had on the morning he met Kore, meaning that his brothers ask very inappropriate questions and get met with surprisingly soft and wholesome answers. "Have you fucked yet? How'd you do it?"<br/>
"No, um, we're taking it slow. We've kissed a few times, though!"<br/>
"Wow, she's really a prude, huh?"<br/>
"No, actually, I had to ask her for us to slow it down..." His face blooms with a blush, "I honestly just... want to fall in love with her before we start making things physical."<br/>
"You aren't seriously going to wait until marriage or something, are you?"<br/>
"What? No- there's no point in that. I just... I want our feelings all sorted out before we get physical, and then I want the physical side all sorted out before we get married."<br/>
"So, when are you going to be marrying her?"<br/>
"I don't know. We'll start planning the wedding once we've decided that the time is right." And then his phone goes off. He checks it and smiles, "I've gotta go. My dread bride just woke up, and I need to go make her breakfast before she gets hungry." He beams as he takes his leave, ignoring his brothers talking about how she's got him whipped.</p>
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